Page 1

Chapter One

Kenshire Castle, Northumberland, 1300

Haydn’s sword slashed relentlessly.

Over and over he struck his brother’s weapon until Hugh finally stepped back and raised both arms. There was a mix of cheers and groans from the men around them in the training yard. Some, no doubt, enjoyed seeing the earl’s eldest son defeat his younger brother. Others knew the reason for Hugh’s too-quick surrender.

Haydn was out of control. Not making deliberate moves to hone his skills. Instead, he was fighting out of anger. Nay, fury. His brother knew it. Their onlookers knew it. But Haydn didn’t care. Rage oozed from every muscle in his body. And if Hugh wouldn’t fight him, he would find someone who would.

“He’s not in the yard today,” Hugh said, apparently discerning his attempt to find their younger brother. “Give it over.” He nodded to Haydn’s sword. “Come walk with me.”

He no more wished to give up his sword than he did to go for a walk. “I’ll pass.” Haydn sheathed his sword, intending to find a new training partner. But Hugh wasn’t having it.

“Either walk with me or I’ll tell Mother you nearly took my head off this morning.”

“I did no such thing.”

Hugh’s squire made a face that clearly conveyed his opinion. Haydn ignored him. He had no need for the thoughts of a boy, who’d seen just ten summers.

“I’ll tell her you drew blood refusing to wear armour even with unblunted swords.”

Their mother hated when they trained “so carelessly” and he was sure to get an earful for such a thing. Lady Sara knew they were warriors. Knew the dangers of not training well. But she also disliked when her sons “acted like fools for the sake of a few cheers.” Admittedly, they did have more onlookers when they trained this way.

“There is one problem, brother, with your plan. My sword did not touch you,” he said, now irritated with both his current situation and his brother.

“Ahh, but another’s did.” Hugh raised his shirt. Indeed, an angry new wound stared back at him. Haydn winced. A nasty bugger, and one he should never have incurred in a training yard. His mother would, indeed, be angry.

“I could easily tell Mother the truth. That you attempted to pin your sloppy training, purely for the pleasure of my company.”

“Pleasure.” Hugh snorted. “If I were looking for pleasurable conversation, you would most certainly not be the one I’d seek.”

“And yet, here we are, on the very walk you requested.” As boys, they’d often taken this same walk to the castle wall just behind Kenshire’s training yard, the one that afforded clear views of the North Sea.

“Because you did nearly take my head off back there,” his brother said as they climbed the wooden stairs toward the wall walk.

When they reached the top, the closest guard to them nodded in greeting and moved away, leaving alone the two brothers, who looked more like twins than siblings nearly two years apart. Haydn looked out to the sea before giving his attention back to his brother. Looking at him was like looking in the precious bit of mirror their mother kept inside the master bedroom, despite that they were nearly two years apart in age. Hugh’s clear blue eyes hinted at the seriousness of the subject at hand.

When Hugh grew serious, it meant trouble brewed. And it did.

“He is a right bastard, Hugh.”

“Aye, he is.”

“Mother and Father have been loyal subjects their entire lives. How many Kenshire men have lost their lives fighting for him, for his father?” The anger that had dissipated slightly on their walk here returned in full force. When his parents had summoned him to Kenshire from Henham, he’d assumed they wished to question him about his recent visit north. Never could he have imagined the information he’d been about to receive.

Five words that changed his life.

The king insists you marry.

And not just any bride, but the daughter of one of King Edward’s closest advisors.

His father had handed Haydn a missive. “Apparently rumors of Wallace, and Galien’s involvement with him, continue to swirl. A royal courier left just days ago with that.”

Reading it, his new reality took hold. With each word he read, Haydn’s hope for a marriage like his parents’ was dashed. But more importantly, it also confirmed their suspicions. That his family was in the king’s crosshairs. No matter that they’d fought for him many times in the past. His parents’ refusal to send men to Falkirk had been the last straw, it seemed, for the king. In the years since, his extended family had admittedly given Edward cause for suspicion. It seemed Kenshire’s past support meant little now.

He looked now at Hugh who shrugged. Knowing what his brother was thinking, he said, “Don’t.”

“Someone needs to say it,” his brother responded. “I don’t envy your position. But you know it’s time. Past time.”